u may
long enjoy that calm domestic felicity which you have so generously
sacrificed; that the cries of injured liberty may nevermore interrupt
your repose, and that your happiness may be equal to your virtues.

_Signed at the request of the meeting._

THOMAS RANDALL.
DAN. PHOENIX.
SAML. BROOME.
THOS. TUCKER.
HENRY KIPP.
PAT. DENNIS.
WM. GILBERT, SR.
WM. GILBERT, JR.
FRANCIS VAN DYCK.
JEREMIAH WOOL.
GEO. JANEWAY.
ABRA'M P. LOTT.
EPHRAIM BRASHIER.

NEW YORK, Nov. 25th, 1783.

THE GENERAL'S REPLY.

To the Citizens of New York who have returned from exile:

GENTLEMEN--

I thank you sincerely for your affectionate address, and entreat you to
be persuaded that nothing could be more agreeable to me than your polite
congratulations. Permit me in turn to felicitate you on the happy
repossession of your City.

Great as your joy must be on this pleasing occasion, it can scarcely
exceed that which I feel at seeing you, Gentlemen, who from the noblest
motives have suffered a voluntary exile of many years, return again in
peace and triumph, to enjoy the fruits of your virtuous conduct.

The fortitude and perseverance, which you and your suffering brethren
have exhibited in the course of the war, have not only endeared you to
your countrymen, but will be remembered with admiration and applause to
the latest posterity.

May the tranquility of your City be perpetual,--may the ruins soon be
repaired, commerce flourish, science be fostered, and all the civil and
social virtues be cherished in the same illustrious manner which
formerly reflected so much credit on the inhabitants of New York. In
fine, may every species of felicity attend you, Gentlemen, and your
worthy fellow citizens.

GEO. WASHINGTON.

[6] Gen. Jeremiah Johnson, who was present, so stated to the writer,
Feb. 15, 1848.

[7] A patriotic song was composed for that day, entitled, "The Sheep
Stealers," which was distributed and sung with immense gusto in the
evening coteries. Coarse, but designed to cast ridicule on the enemy, it
is given as a specimen of the popular songs of the period:

KING GEORGE sent his Sheep-stealers,
Poor Refugees and Tories!
King George sent his Sheep-stealers
To fish for mutton here,
To fish for mutton here,
To fish for mutton here,
But Yankees were hard dealers,
Poor Refugees and Tories;
But Yankees were hard dealers,
They sold their sheep-skins dear,